To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

Bulk Rate US. Postage Paid Poplar, Montana 59255 Permit No. 5
501
Weiamit Wmaapi
Xaptax, Montana
Maa 15, 1997
� Council Highlights
Grey Bear to head Law & Justice Department
By secret ballot and through a process of elimination, the Tribal Executive Board at their May 12 meeting selected Tribal Judge Abraham Grey Bear as the new Public Safety director to head the Department of Law and Justice.
Grey Bear was among 4 names brought to the TEB by the Reservation Safety. The others were acting Public Safety director Rita Weeks, who was detailed from her job as Court Administrator last fall by the TEB to guide the new department into operation; tribal police captain Dale Headdress; and former BIA Criminal Investigator Roy "Chuck" Trottier. All four applicants are tribal members, and they needed to have passed the Tribes' bar exam. There were two other applicants who were non-tribal members and who were not recommended by the committee. One applicant had a juris doctorate degree, which is preferred, but didn't have the experience, said committee chairman Robert Welch. All six applicants were interviewed by the committee.
There was no lobbying done on behalf of any of the candidates at the TEB meeting, and no mention of who was the most qualified. It's a matter of opinion of the committee members present on who is the most qualified, said Welch, who also said there were 5-6 TEB members present during the interviews which were conducted on May 5 and 6.
Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields said the floor was open on how the TEB wanted to make a final selection. Councilman Stoney Anketell moved that the selection be made by secret ballot, his motion was seconded by Walter Clark and approved by a vote of 9 for and 3 opposed. Those who were for a secret ballot vote were Anketell, Clark, Barbara Birdsbill, James Granbois, Roxanne Gourneau, Gene Culbertson, Ray White Tail Feather, Pearl Hopkins, June Stafne; opposed were Welch, Spike Bighorn, John Morales.
Each TEB member was given a piece of paper and were told to write one name on it, and if there was a tie, they decided there would be a re-vote on just the tied names, and that they would vote until one name got the majority vote. In the first round, Grey Bear and Weeks each got 4 votes, and Headdress and Trottier each got 2 votes. In the second round, Grey Bear got 7 votes and Weeks 5 votes. Culbertson moved to accept the results, seconded by Clark, vote 12-0.
The TEB next voted 12-0 to advertise the judge position if Grey Bear accepts the director position, and to also detail Rita Weeks in the judge position on a temporary basis if Grey Bear vacates it.
The Public Safety director position is the head of the four law enforcement related programs that the Tribes con-�
Tribal police officers who completed training at the Indian Police Academy in New Mexico recently were honored by their co-vorkers and tribal officials. Sitting with individual cakes bearing the sea! of the Tribes' Department of Law and Justice were the honorees: 1-r Patrick Pipe, Frank Martell and Abraham Gray Bear Jr. Standing behind them s interim Public Safety director Rita Weeks. On left, Tribal Vice-Chairman Nathaniel Longhair Sr. and councilwoman Roxanne Gourneau hold anothe cake especially decorated for the occasion.
�
"Your success is inspiration"
The Fort Peck Tribes have taken "bold steps" to upgrade their law enforcement, and its success is due to people like the police officers who completed tneir training, saicl Tribal Vice-Chairman Nathaniel Longhair in a message from the Tribes to three new tribal police officers who completed training at the Indian Police Academy.
Fellow police officers and other tribal officials gathered to share cake and coffee with the three police officers, who started their careers in the Tribes' law enforcement
field in October, 1996 when they were selected by the Tribal Executive Board for police officer positions.
Your success is an inspiration, said councilwoman Roxanne Gourneau to the three officers. You are held to a higher standard and will have to live by example because the community is looking to you for protection, she said. "Everyone is looking at you, and the Tribes will accept nothing but the highest standards."
Police captain Dale Headdress said three more officers from the original group
Morales says "not guilty" to charge
Aug. 12 court date set
Tribal Executive Board member John Morales has entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of violating a section in the Tribes Code of Justice that protects members of the Tribal Executive board from being assaulted, resisted, opposed, intimidated or interfered with, and a jury trial has been set for Aug. 12, 1997 at 9 a.m. in Fort Peck Tribal Court.
Morales turned himself in at the Tribal Jail on the morning of Friday, May 9 after learning from his family that a warrant for his arrest had been issued on May 6. Morales had been out of town since the late afternoon of May 6 on delegation in Billings. He cut his delegation short and returned home. He was booked and appeared for arraignment in Tribal Court later
that morning before Tribal Judge Leland Spotted Bird, where he was charged with violating Title III Criminal Offenses, Section 407a. Protection of members of the Tribal Executive Board, judges, tribal and federal officers and employees. He was released on his own recognizance, and can have no violations of the law and no contact with councilmember Thomas Stoney Anketell outside of official duties, as recommended by Prosecutor Ed Long Knife. Morales is a member of the tribal council and lives here, said Long Knife, in making his recommendation for release. Morales told the court that he and Anketell had a
selected last fall will be leaving for training this month and will be returning on Aug. 21. We will then have fullfilled our one-year contract requirement, he said. The Tribes contracted the law enforcement from the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Oct. 1,1996, and one of the requirements of the contract was the training aspect.
Finally, the newest officers selected - Willard White and John Summers - will be going to training in Jan., 1998. "We're well on schedule with the program," saiid Headdress.
nside - Page 10
� TEB removal process used once since 1988
� TEB reaction to Incident
(Incident - Page 10)
� Clean Up Week-TribeS fully participate
in Poplar May 19-23
FPHA to start issuing citations
TJ's Quik Stop not for sale
(Highlights-Page 2)
A successful family-owned business for almost 14 years, TJ's Quik Stop in Poplar has made owners Tom and Georgia Atkinson and family a good living. And for that reason and more, they have changed their minds about selling out to the Fort Peck Tribes, according to Georgia.
"I've been able to help a lot of people, and if we sold, my finances would be restricted," said Georgia. "And on June 1, it will be 14 years, so it would be hard to get rid of something you've had that long."
On April 25, the Tribal Executive Board expressed interest in purchasing TJ's and to seek financing from a bank. But on April 29, Georgia said she went to the Tribes and told them her decision not to sell. "I felt bad about turning the Tribes down, but we needed to think of our family's best interest," she said.
They sought $365,000 for the business plus $20,000 for the inventory. TJ's, named after the Atkinson's two children Tammy Joy and Tommy Jay, sells gas, grocery items, pop and candy, has 20 tribal-ly-owned gaming machines and beer and wine, which Georgia said all contribute equally to the profit made.
They recently invested in upgrades to the gas station when a gas leak under the business was being repaired. The area was contaminated by leaking gas but has been totally cleaned up and cleared by
TJ's owner Georgia Gibbs-Atkinson, r., is proud the her family's business that has flourished. Once the location of an abandoned gas station, TJ's will be 14 years old on June 1, 1997.
vi
mm W �
?he State, said Georgia. The gas station now has the "Cad-allic" of the system, according to the man who put in double lined gas pipes, lines, new tanks, and pumps, she said. Marketing Specialties, who didn't tighten the joint from the gas line to the pump, was liable for the clean up and it was covered by their insurance company, while TJ's bought the tanks and pumps, and laid new concrete.
Georgia said they had planned to sell and reinvest in an-
other business, but are now thinking about expanding.
She credits consistency in their business hours as contributing to their success. We stay open 365 days of the year from 6 a.m. to midnight including holidays, she said, and the only time they've closed in the past 14 years was for close family funerals and for 5 days during the reconstruction.
She said from the start, she (TJ's - Page 3)
Reservation-wide clean up will culminate next Friday, May 23 with a noon meal of polish sausage and burgers at the Poplar Activity Center for all who helped clean up Fort Peck Reservation this month.
The smaller communities have already started and completed their clean ups, as did Wolf Point in April. But the effort is still ongoing, especially in Poplar.
Next week, May 19-22, large items should be put in the alleyways in Poplar so they can be picked up.
Those who live in the outlying communities can call Enterprise director Phillip Granbois at 768-3743 if his services in the clean up efforts are needed.
If you have junked vehicles in your yard that you want removed, call Tribal Health at 768-5301 and ask for Dennis Four Bear or Dana Buckles, who will provide you with consent forms.
At Fort Peck Housing Authority, the largest landlord on the reservation, yard checks have started on homes owned by the FPHA, said Shirley Jackson, a Resident Training Counselor from Poplar.
We'll be issuing violations for those who do not come into compliance, and according to the tenants' leases, they can have up to 3 violations before they face eviction, said Jackson. "It's going to be difficult to do, but we need to start."
It's a lengthy process and there's lots of paperwork and man-hours involved, she said, and it's going to take awhile. We don't want
�1�22:Pk* , items in alleyways in
May 22: Gather at Poplar Boulevard at 8:30 am to start clean up.
May 23: Noon mea! at Poplar Activity Center for involved in the clean up.
Year-Round: Take Pride-
Keep yards & commuhltiesJ clean! "Hopefully it wQI become a tradition."
Call Enterprise ' help tn pickups & i
IPllPllllilii
Call Tribal Health 768-53 lo get junked vehicles
to do this just for May, but for always, she added. "Hopefully, it will become a way of life, a tradition. I'm very optomistic."
Frazer residents did their clean up last weekend, and Enterprise concentrated their efforts in that area. Frazer has committed themselves to look like the community of Fort Peck, located southwest of them, said Gene Culbertson, tribal councilman and head of a clean up committee, who plans to meet every month to address ways to keep not only Poplar, but the entire Fort Peck Reservation clean and beautiful all year long. We will be meeting every month, he said.
Those who want to help clean up Poplar should meet
(Clean Up - Page 3)

Bulk Rate US. Postage Paid Poplar, Montana 59255 Permit No. 5
501
Weiamit Wmaapi
Xaptax, Montana
Maa 15, 1997
� Council Highlights
Grey Bear to head Law & Justice Department
By secret ballot and through a process of elimination, the Tribal Executive Board at their May 12 meeting selected Tribal Judge Abraham Grey Bear as the new Public Safety director to head the Department of Law and Justice.
Grey Bear was among 4 names brought to the TEB by the Reservation Safety. The others were acting Public Safety director Rita Weeks, who was detailed from her job as Court Administrator last fall by the TEB to guide the new department into operation; tribal police captain Dale Headdress; and former BIA Criminal Investigator Roy "Chuck" Trottier. All four applicants are tribal members, and they needed to have passed the Tribes' bar exam. There were two other applicants who were non-tribal members and who were not recommended by the committee. One applicant had a juris doctorate degree, which is preferred, but didn't have the experience, said committee chairman Robert Welch. All six applicants were interviewed by the committee.
There was no lobbying done on behalf of any of the candidates at the TEB meeting, and no mention of who was the most qualified. It's a matter of opinion of the committee members present on who is the most qualified, said Welch, who also said there were 5-6 TEB members present during the interviews which were conducted on May 5 and 6.
Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields said the floor was open on how the TEB wanted to make a final selection. Councilman Stoney Anketell moved that the selection be made by secret ballot, his motion was seconded by Walter Clark and approved by a vote of 9 for and 3 opposed. Those who were for a secret ballot vote were Anketell, Clark, Barbara Birdsbill, James Granbois, Roxanne Gourneau, Gene Culbertson, Ray White Tail Feather, Pearl Hopkins, June Stafne; opposed were Welch, Spike Bighorn, John Morales.
Each TEB member was given a piece of paper and were told to write one name on it, and if there was a tie, they decided there would be a re-vote on just the tied names, and that they would vote until one name got the majority vote. In the first round, Grey Bear and Weeks each got 4 votes, and Headdress and Trottier each got 2 votes. In the second round, Grey Bear got 7 votes and Weeks 5 votes. Culbertson moved to accept the results, seconded by Clark, vote 12-0.
The TEB next voted 12-0 to advertise the judge position if Grey Bear accepts the director position, and to also detail Rita Weeks in the judge position on a temporary basis if Grey Bear vacates it.
The Public Safety director position is the head of the four law enforcement related programs that the Tribes con-�
Tribal police officers who completed training at the Indian Police Academy in New Mexico recently were honored by their co-vorkers and tribal officials. Sitting with individual cakes bearing the sea! of the Tribes' Department of Law and Justice were the honorees: 1-r Patrick Pipe, Frank Martell and Abraham Gray Bear Jr. Standing behind them s interim Public Safety director Rita Weeks. On left, Tribal Vice-Chairman Nathaniel Longhair Sr. and councilwoman Roxanne Gourneau hold anothe cake especially decorated for the occasion.
�
"Your success is inspiration"
The Fort Peck Tribes have taken "bold steps" to upgrade their law enforcement, and its success is due to people like the police officers who completed tneir training, saicl Tribal Vice-Chairman Nathaniel Longhair in a message from the Tribes to three new tribal police officers who completed training at the Indian Police Academy.
Fellow police officers and other tribal officials gathered to share cake and coffee with the three police officers, who started their careers in the Tribes' law enforcement
field in October, 1996 when they were selected by the Tribal Executive Board for police officer positions.
Your success is an inspiration, said councilwoman Roxanne Gourneau to the three officers. You are held to a higher standard and will have to live by example because the community is looking to you for protection, she said. "Everyone is looking at you, and the Tribes will accept nothing but the highest standards."
Police captain Dale Headdress said three more officers from the original group
Morales says "not guilty" to charge
Aug. 12 court date set
Tribal Executive Board member John Morales has entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of violating a section in the Tribes Code of Justice that protects members of the Tribal Executive board from being assaulted, resisted, opposed, intimidated or interfered with, and a jury trial has been set for Aug. 12, 1997 at 9 a.m. in Fort Peck Tribal Court.
Morales turned himself in at the Tribal Jail on the morning of Friday, May 9 after learning from his family that a warrant for his arrest had been issued on May 6. Morales had been out of town since the late afternoon of May 6 on delegation in Billings. He cut his delegation short and returned home. He was booked and appeared for arraignment in Tribal Court later
that morning before Tribal Judge Leland Spotted Bird, where he was charged with violating Title III Criminal Offenses, Section 407a. Protection of members of the Tribal Executive Board, judges, tribal and federal officers and employees. He was released on his own recognizance, and can have no violations of the law and no contact with councilmember Thomas Stoney Anketell outside of official duties, as recommended by Prosecutor Ed Long Knife. Morales is a member of the tribal council and lives here, said Long Knife, in making his recommendation for release. Morales told the court that he and Anketell had a
selected last fall will be leaving for training this month and will be returning on Aug. 21. We will then have fullfilled our one-year contract requirement, he said. The Tribes contracted the law enforcement from the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Oct. 1,1996, and one of the requirements of the contract was the training aspect.
Finally, the newest officers selected - Willard White and John Summers - will be going to training in Jan., 1998. "We're well on schedule with the program" saiid Headdress.
nside - Page 10
� TEB removal process used once since 1988
� TEB reaction to Incident
(Incident - Page 10)
� Clean Up Week-TribeS fully participate
in Poplar May 19-23
FPHA to start issuing citations
TJ's Quik Stop not for sale
(Highlights-Page 2)
A successful family-owned business for almost 14 years, TJ's Quik Stop in Poplar has made owners Tom and Georgia Atkinson and family a good living. And for that reason and more, they have changed their minds about selling out to the Fort Peck Tribes, according to Georgia.
"I've been able to help a lot of people, and if we sold, my finances would be restricted" said Georgia. "And on June 1, it will be 14 years, so it would be hard to get rid of something you've had that long."
On April 25, the Tribal Executive Board expressed interest in purchasing TJ's and to seek financing from a bank. But on April 29, Georgia said she went to the Tribes and told them her decision not to sell. "I felt bad about turning the Tribes down, but we needed to think of our family's best interest" she said.
They sought $365,000 for the business plus $20,000 for the inventory. TJ's, named after the Atkinson's two children Tammy Joy and Tommy Jay, sells gas, grocery items, pop and candy, has 20 tribal-ly-owned gaming machines and beer and wine, which Georgia said all contribute equally to the profit made.
They recently invested in upgrades to the gas station when a gas leak under the business was being repaired. The area was contaminated by leaking gas but has been totally cleaned up and cleared by
TJ's owner Georgia Gibbs-Atkinson, r., is proud the her family's business that has flourished. Once the location of an abandoned gas station, TJ's will be 14 years old on June 1, 1997.
vi
mm W �
?he State, said Georgia. The gas station now has the "Cad-allic" of the system, according to the man who put in double lined gas pipes, lines, new tanks, and pumps, she said. Marketing Specialties, who didn't tighten the joint from the gas line to the pump, was liable for the clean up and it was covered by their insurance company, while TJ's bought the tanks and pumps, and laid new concrete.
Georgia said they had planned to sell and reinvest in an-
other business, but are now thinking about expanding.
She credits consistency in their business hours as contributing to their success. We stay open 365 days of the year from 6 a.m. to midnight including holidays, she said, and the only time they've closed in the past 14 years was for close family funerals and for 5 days during the reconstruction.
She said from the start, she (TJ's - Page 3)
Reservation-wide clean up will culminate next Friday, May 23 with a noon meal of polish sausage and burgers at the Poplar Activity Center for all who helped clean up Fort Peck Reservation this month.
The smaller communities have already started and completed their clean ups, as did Wolf Point in April. But the effort is still ongoing, especially in Poplar.
Next week, May 19-22, large items should be put in the alleyways in Poplar so they can be picked up.
Those who live in the outlying communities can call Enterprise director Phillip Granbois at 768-3743 if his services in the clean up efforts are needed.
If you have junked vehicles in your yard that you want removed, call Tribal Health at 768-5301 and ask for Dennis Four Bear or Dana Buckles, who will provide you with consent forms.
At Fort Peck Housing Authority, the largest landlord on the reservation, yard checks have started on homes owned by the FPHA, said Shirley Jackson, a Resident Training Counselor from Poplar.
We'll be issuing violations for those who do not come into compliance, and according to the tenants' leases, they can have up to 3 violations before they face eviction, said Jackson. "It's going to be difficult to do, but we need to start."
It's a lengthy process and there's lots of paperwork and man-hours involved, she said, and it's going to take awhile. We don't want
�1�22:Pk* , items in alleyways in
May 22: Gather at Poplar Boulevard at 8:30 am to start clean up.
May 23: Noon mea! at Poplar Activity Center for involved in the clean up.
Year-Round: Take Pride-
Keep yards & commuhltiesJ clean! "Hopefully it wQI become a tradition."
Call Enterprise ' help tn pickups & i
IPllPllllilii
Call Tribal Health 768-53 lo get junked vehicles
to do this just for May, but for always, she added. "Hopefully, it will become a way of life, a tradition. I'm very optomistic."
Frazer residents did their clean up last weekend, and Enterprise concentrated their efforts in that area. Frazer has committed themselves to look like the community of Fort Peck, located southwest of them, said Gene Culbertson, tribal councilman and head of a clean up committee, who plans to meet every month to address ways to keep not only Poplar, but the entire Fort Peck Reservation clean and beautiful all year long. We will be meeting every month, he said.
Those who want to help clean up Poplar should meet
(Clean Up - Page 3)